Mishnah
Mishnah

Talmud for Tahorot 7:6

הַגַּבָּאִים שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ לְתוֹךְ הַבַּיִת, הַבַּיִת טָמֵא. אִם יֵשׁ עִמָּהֶן גּוֹי, נֶאֱמָנִים לוֹמַר לֹא נִכְנָסְנוּ, אֲבָל אֵין נֶאֱמָנִים לוֹמַר נִכְנַסְנוּ אֲבָל לֹא נָגָעְנוּ. הַגַּנָּבִים שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ לְתוֹךְ הַבַּיִת, אֵין טָמֵא אֶלָּא מְקוֹם רַגְלֵי הַגַּנָּבִים. וּמַה הֵן מְטַמְּאִין. הָאֳכָלִים וְהַמַּשְׁקִים וּכְלֵי חֶרֶס הַפְּתוּחִין. אֲבָל הַמִּשְׁכָּבוֹת וְהַמּוֹשָׁבוֹת וּכְלֵי חֶרֶס הַמֻּקָּפִין צָמִיד פָּתִיל, טְהוֹרִים. אִם יֵשׁ עִמָּהֶן נָכְרִי אוֹ אִשָּׁה, הַכֹּל טָמֵא:

If tax collectors [assumed to be impure] entered a house, the house is impure. If there is a non-Jew with them, they are believed to say, "We did not enter," but they are not believed to say, "We entered but did not touch anything." Robbers who entered a house, only places where the robbers walked are impure. And what do they render impure? Foods and drinks and open earthenware vessels; but beds, couches and earthenware vessels closed with a tight seal are pure. If there was a non-Jew or a woman with them, everything is impure.

Jerusalem Talmud Chagigah

HALAKHAH: “If tax collectors entered a house, the house is impure. If they are accompanied by a Gentile they are trustworthy to say, we entered but we did not touch.182Mishnah Taharot 7:6. Tosephta Taharot 8:5 explains that even though the Gentile is no formal witness, the tax collectors fear to lie in the presence of people who know better.” One may explain this by two explanations. They are trustworthy to say, we entered but we did not touch if witnesses know of it183Probably this should be read as “no witnesses know of it.” In this case it would be an application of the principle, “the mouth which forbade is the mouth which permits.” If no witness knows that he entered, the house would be impure only by his testimony. But if one believes him in this one also must believe him that he did not touch and therefore the house is pure.. And in Jerusalem they are trustworthy about sancta even if witnesses know of it. One may explain by another explanation: They are trustworthy to say, we entered but we did not touch. This is necessary {to be stated} even if witnesses know of it. And in Jerusalem they are trustworthy about sancta even if witnesses know of it.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Previous VerseFull ChapterNext Verse